Adjustable wing unit for ditcher blades



March 30, 1954 E, V- BRlsCOE 2,673,409

ADJUSTABLE WING UNIl FOR DITCHER BLADES Filed June 24, 1950 INVENTORATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 30, 1954 T E N T OFFICE ADJUSTABLE WING UNITFOR DITCHER BLADES Ernest V. Briscoe, Kerman, Calif. Application June24, 1950, Serial No. 170,183

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an improvement especially adapted,but not limited, for use in connection with a ditch digging or cleaningimplement having upwardly and rearwardly divergent main scraper bladeswhich work the opposite sides of the ditch as the implement advancestherein.

As such main scraper blades work the sides of the ditch, the scrapedearth, weeds, and debris is caused to move upwardly and rearwardly todeposit on top of the corresponding ditch bank.

It is a major object of this invention to provide each main scraperblade with a wing unit including a supplementary scraper blade adaptedto project laterally outwardly from the main scraper blade in positionto work along the top of the adjacent bank to spread and smooth theearth and other material which said main scrape-r blade depositsthereon. This prevents undesirable ridging or windrowing of the spoil ontop of the ditch banks.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a power actuatedmechanism for adjusting the supplementary scraper blade of each wingunit so that it may be set to the angle of projection as workingconditions may require, or swung back to a transport positionsubstantially parallel to the corresponding main scraper blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wing unit, for thepurpose described, which is arranged for adjustment lengthwise of thecorresponding main scraper blade; the position of adjustment beingdependent on the depth of the ditch in which the implement is working.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a Wing unit designedfor ready and economical manufacture; convenience of installation andadjustment; and heavy-duty use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical andreliable adjustable wing unit for ditcher blades, and one which will beexceedingly eiective for the purpose for which it is designed. Y

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusual of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, of a ditch digging orcleaning implement; the adjustable wing unit being shown on the adjacentmain scraper blade and as set for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of said adjustable Wingunit; said unit being shown 2 in working position in full lines and intransport position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-,3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the invention is here shown as embodied in connection with aditch digging or cleaning implement of the type which includes alongitudinal main frame i supported, at the front end, by a front wheeltruck 2 having a forwardly projecting tongue 3 adapted to connect theimplement to a tractor in draft relation.

The front wheel truck 2 is connected to the front end of the main frameI by means of a gooseneck 4 pivoted, as at 5, to the main framel.

A post structure E5 upstands from the pivot of the gooseneck i and isadapted to be swung to and fro by a power cylinder 1, whereby to causerelative articulation between the forward portion of the main frame iVand gooseneck 4 so that selective vertical adjustment of said frame maybe attained.

A lister plow 5 is iiXed in connection with the main frame i at theforward end thereof, and transversely spaced extension blades 9 aresupported from said frame rearwardly of corresponding ends of the listerplow the extension blades 9 serving to deliver earth from the listerplow 8 rearwardly onto the lower ends of corresponding main scraperblades Ill.

The main scraper blades lo are suitably supported from the main frame Iand are disposed 0n opposite sides of said frame, extending fromadjacent the bottom of the ditch in upwardly and rearwardly dii/ergingrelation.

The main scraper blades l() are of substantial length, and when theimplement is in operation these blades serve to work along in engagementwith opposite sides of the ditch; the earth as scraped from the bottomof the ditch by the lister plow 8 and extension blades 9 feeding ontothe main scraper blades i0, and thence flowing upwardly along thelatter-together with the earth scraped by said blades lil-to deliver ordeposit on top of the corresponding ditch bank.

Unless some means be provided, the earth, weeds, and derbris which isthus deposited on top of the ditch banks would form an undesirable andunsightly ridge or windrow thereon. It is therefore the prime purpose ofthis invention to provide a novel wing unit for each main scraper bladeit operative to level and smooth the material deposited, as above, ontop of each ditch bank.

Each Wing unit is indicated at I I, and comprises the following:

A longitudinal mounting plate I2, which matches the curvature of thecorresponding main scraper blade I0, is affixed to the face of thelatter, and for adjustment therealong, by a longitudinal hook or channelI3 which engages the lower edge of said blade I8; At its upper edge themounting plate I2 is secured to the main scraper blade I by a pluralityof cross bolts I4 which extend through corresponding holes I5, of whichthere is a row in said blade I0. The mounting plate I2 is adjusted up ordown the main scraper blade I0 (see the full line and dotted linepositions in Fig. l), depending on the depth of the ditch in which theimplement is working.

The numeral I6 indicates a supplementary scraper blade adapted toproject laterally outwardly to work in a substantially horizontalposition along the top of the adjacent ditch bank, as shown in fulllines in Fig. 2, or to be swung or folded back to a positionsubstantially parallel to the main scraper blade for transport, as shownin dotted lines in said figure.

The supplementary scraper blade I6 is mounted as follows:

A longitudinal bar II is secured along the upper edge, and on the backside, of the main scraper blade I0 by the cross bolts I4, and an upper,laterally outwardly projecting attachment ear I8 is fixed to the bar Iland extends some distance beyond the mounting plate I2. A relativelyshorter, lower, laterally outwardly projecting ear I9 projects from themounting plate I2 adjacent its lower edge. An upper, relatively shortattachment ear 20 and a lower, relatively long attachment ear 2| arefixed on, and extend inwardly from, the inner end of the supplementaryscraper blade I6 in lapping relation to the ears I8 and I9,respectively. Said lapping pairs of ears are pivotally connectedtogether by an upwardly and outwardly canted or inclined pivot pin 22.

With this particular pivotal arrangement the supplementary scraper bladeI6, when swung out to a position to overhang and work along the top ofthe adjacent ditch bank, as in full lines in Fig. 2, is substantiallyhorizontal, but when swung inwardly assumes a position substantiallyparallel to the main scraper blade I0 for transport.

A power cylinder 23 is pivoted at its inner end, as at 24, to the upperend of the mounting plate I2, and said cylinder 23 includes a piston rod25 pivoted, as at 2E, to the back side of the supplementary scraperblade I6 intermediate its ends.

A rearwardly and outwardly diagonaled, relatively short transfer blade2'I is fixed in connection with the mounting plate I2 at the forwardportion of the latter, and said transfer blade 21 overhangs the innerend of the supplementary scraper blade I6 whereby to divert all materialflowing upwardly on the main scraper blade Il] onto said supplementaryscraper blade I5.

The main frame I of the implement is supported, at its rear end, by rearwheels 28, and an operatorsseat 29 is disposed at an elevated rear pointon the implement.

The power cylinders I and 23 are controlled by a valve regulated, fluidpressure system (not shown), which system has its valves adjacent theoperators seat 29 for manipulation.

The above described adjustable wing unit for the main scraper blades I0of a ditch digging or cleaning implement functions effectively for theleveling and smoothing of the spoil material deposited on top of theadjacent ditch bank from each main scraper blade I0; the working angleof the supplementary scraper blade I6 being under the direct and postivecontrol of the operator, as is'movement of said supplementaryv scraperblade between its working position and its transport position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described lowing is claimed as new and useful, and uponwhich Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a ditcher having an elongated rigid main blade extending at anupward angle to the rear, an adjustable wing attachment for the bladecomprising a mounting plate extending lengthwise of and slidably fittedagainst the main blade adjacent its rear upper end, means to secure themounting plate at diierent points along the main blade, a substantiallyhorizontal wing blade mounted on the plate and extending rearwardly andlaterally out from the main blade, and a transfer blade rigid with theplate and disposed at a lateral angle to and cooperating with both themain and wing blades and extending from a point on the main blade aheadof the forward end of the wing blade toa rearward terminationoverlapping the latter.

2. In a ditcher having anelongated rigid main blade extending at anupward angle to the rear and adapted to extend into and engage a sidewall of a ditch, an adjustable wing attachment for the blade comprisinga mounting plate dis-v posed against the blade adjacent the rear endthereof, a substantially horizontal wing blade mounted on and projectinglaterally out from the plate, and means to secure the plate on the mainblade at different points along the length of the same and parallelthereto whereby to dispose the wing blade for surface-ground engagementirrespective of the depth of the ditch wall with which the main blademay be engaged.

the invention, the fol-

